Headlight Motor
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 1,817
Likes: 1
From: Hartland WI
Headlight Motor - FIXED!
As we went to leave the mall tonight the drivers side light came up like normal but the passenger side only came up half way and stalled there. Then the drivers side started to "fall" back down. I went out to side if I could give the pasenger side a little boost but it just kept flipping back to the half way point.
Is this an adjustment thing (I have Helms os if it is I can figure that part out) or is this an indication that the motor has bit the big one? If its the motor, should I do both sides at the same time? Any "testing" suggestions?
Thanks
Is this an adjustment thing (I have Helms os if it is I can figure that part out) or is this an indication that the motor has bit the big one? If its the motor, should I do both sides at the same time? Any "testing" suggestions?
Thanks
Last edited by rstackjd; Jul 23, 2006 at 08:33 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 2,510
Likes: 4
From: Austin Texas
sounds like 1 of 2 things: your nylon bushings are shot, or your gear is stripped. I would go ahead replace/repair both right and left motor.
http://www.ecklers.com/product.asp?p...dept%5Fid=1476
Does your '88 have manual turn ***** on the headlight motors???
http://www.ecklers.com/product.asp?p...dept%5Fid=1476
Does your '88 have manual turn ***** on the headlight motors???
Racer
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 319
Likes: 0
Why would a mechanical problem with the passenger side motor affect the driver side? I wonder if there might be a short or failure in the on/off switch? I have an 85 with old style (4 wire) motors and they operate completely independently. A mechanical problem with one has no affect on the other. Maybe not so with the 2 wire motors?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 2,510
Likes: 4
From: Austin Texas
Originally Posted by davemack
Why would a mechanical problem with the passenger side motor affect the driver side? I wonder if there might be a short or failure in the on/off switch? I have an 85 with old style (4 wire) motors and they operate completely independently. A mechanical problem with one has no affect on the other. Maybe not so with the 2 wire motors?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 7,839
Likes: 22
From: San Diego, Ca
Hard to say - but loss my left one last week after losing the right one last year and my Vette pretty much just sits in the garage and has 59,000 miles on it. What I did find out is that new is now a whopping 430 Bucks at Jimmy Johnson Chevrolet so not only is his Crew Leader cheating at the track, it's carried over to his Dealership (where I'm pretty sure if his Dealership installed it, you'd walk away with a $600 bill - double that of course for two or about 25% of the value of some of the Vettes running around So.CA). I don't know of anyway to test your lights short of trying a good one, but if they're making noise after you turn them off or while the motors are running, it's a good bet both are shot and need to be fixed or replaced.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 2,462
Likes: 715
New bushings will probably do the trick
The same thing happened to my headlights when I first got the 1990 Corvette in early 1990. The problem started out as intermittent at first. On some days, the headlights popped up fine, and and on others, they wouldn't pop up at all. Or one would pop up fine, but the other would make it up half way and then quit and flop back down. The nylon bushings had turned to something resembling sand. The plastic gears were worn too.
The previous owner gave some metal gears and bushings to me when I bought the car. I removed the headlight assembly and tried to intall the bushings and gears, but found I didn't have all of the necessary tools or the skill.
So, I took the headlight assemblies to a shop known for working on Corvettes of all years, and they installed the new bushings and metal gears. They charged $150 for all of the work. I saved about $75 by removing the headlight assemblies myself. While I had the assemblies out, I installed brighter headlights too. From my research on the problem, I learned that the motors are usually in good condition, but the bushings are not.
My headlights have been working fine ever since I got the new parts installed two years ago.
-- Eric
The previous owner gave some metal gears and bushings to me when I bought the car. I removed the headlight assembly and tried to intall the bushings and gears, but found I didn't have all of the necessary tools or the skill.
So, I took the headlight assemblies to a shop known for working on Corvettes of all years, and they installed the new bushings and metal gears. They charged $150 for all of the work. I saved about $75 by removing the headlight assemblies myself. While I had the assemblies out, I installed brighter headlights too. From my research on the problem, I learned that the motors are usually in good condition, but the bushings are not.
My headlights have been working fine ever since I got the new parts installed two years ago.
-- Eric
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 1,817
Likes: 1
From: Hartland WI
Thanks folks
Yeah, I think I'm going to get the bushing and gear sets and just do both sides.
I did fnid that there is a manual **** for future reference! D'oh! With those I was able to get them to the posint whwere they open and close but it does seem like the motors run for a longer time than is needed so I guess we'll try the bushings and gears.
Yeah, I think I'm going to get the bushing and gear sets and just do both sides.
I did fnid that there is a manual **** for future reference! D'oh! With those I was able to get them to the posint whwere they open and close but it does seem like the motors run for a longer time than is needed so I guess we'll try the bushings and gears.
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Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2000
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From: Fort Knox, KY
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Check the TechTips section on this forum for bushing installation instructions. You can also click this link from Corvette Fever.
http://www.corvettefever.com/howto/33098/
You can purchase bushings online from MAM or Ecklers catalogs. Nylon bushings are also available at Home Depot 27/64" x 29/64" (two for 69 cents).
You'll need 3 packs of 2 each for a total of 6 spacers to do both headlights. The UPC code on the package is 30699 87278.
Or, ask the cute cashier slim at the Customer Service counter to look up item number 595609 in her master inventory database.
http://www.corvettefever.com/howto/33098/
You can purchase bushings online from MAM or Ecklers catalogs. Nylon bushings are also available at Home Depot 27/64" x 29/64" (two for 69 cents).
You'll need 3 packs of 2 each for a total of 6 spacers to do both headlights. The UPC code on the package is 30699 87278.
Or, ask the cute cashier slim at the Customer Service counter to look up item number 595609 in her master inventory database.
Advanced
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 76
Likes: 0
From: Beavercreek Ohio
headlight repair
Hey, I just completed replacing my nylon bushings in both headlight motor assemblies. I had the same half open light problems that made going out at night a real adventure.
The change is pretty straight forward and took a couple hours per side. One of the small screws holding the cover on the motor was stripped and took a lot of time to get out but other than that the bushing change out was easy.
When I opened the case it was just like the articles describe. nothing but white dust left. Cleaned it out dropped in the new bushings and reinstalled the assemblies. They both snap up on command and drop into the stowed position like a dream. Try the bushings before you buy any gears or the like.
it appears the bushings were designed to fail and thereby saving the more expensive parts.
whoo hoo!!! it is good to have reliable lights!!
The change is pretty straight forward and took a couple hours per side. One of the small screws holding the cover on the motor was stripped and took a lot of time to get out but other than that the bushing change out was easy.
When I opened the case it was just like the articles describe. nothing but white dust left. Cleaned it out dropped in the new bushings and reinstalled the assemblies. They both snap up on command and drop into the stowed position like a dream. Try the bushings before you buy any gears or the like.
it appears the bushings were designed to fail and thereby saving the more expensive parts.
whoo hoo!!! it is good to have reliable lights!!
Drifting
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 1,562
Likes: 1
From: "Drive like Hell, you'll get there faster." Tucson AZ
Originally Posted by SunCr
Hard to say - but loss my left one last week after losing the right one last year and my Vette pretty much just sits in the garage and has 59,000 miles on it. What I did find out is that new is now a whopping 430 Bucks at Jimmy Johnson Chevrolet so not only is his Crew Leader cheating at the track, it's carried over to his Dealership (where I'm pretty sure if his Dealership installed it, you'd walk away with a $600 bill - double that of course for two or about 25% of the value of some of the Vettes running around So.CA). I don't know of anyway to test your lights short of trying a good one, but if they're making noise after you turn them off or while the motors are running, it's a good bet both are shot and need to be fixed or replaced.
Ha.......close. Try 960 bucks at Orielly Chevrolet where I live. I actually paid this about 4 years ago because I didn't know about the forum at the time or a little thing called "bushings" because the dealers dont support "aftermarket items". The dealers wont tell you about it either. Had I known, I would've tried bushings myself. I didnt even get my original headlight motors back. Odds are the dealer just replaced the bushings and charged me over 430 bucks per headlight. To the original poster...........plain and simple, DO NOT GO TO THE DEALER TO GET THE HEADLIGHTS FIXED. I couldn't stress this enough in earlier postings. Odds are, 6 dollar bushings are all you need. They sell em through Mid America. Usually the bushings do wear down to save the more expensive parts. Even if thats not the case, your case is more likely the gears which are about 30 bucks through Mid America rather than having to replace a whole headlight motor.....or two. Both the gears AND the bushings are not "supported" by the dealers and going to the dealer, you will not be even told about the two because they enjoy raping your wallet and obviously pride themselves on it.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 1,817
Likes: 1
From: Hartland WI
Update - All Done - Wow What A Difference
All done! We got the new bushings in today - what a difference! Thanks a ton to CF Member AJ90 for the detailed instructions he sent me - seems that the Eckler's instructions "glossed over" a few steps (confounded lock nut! lol) - but its done and everytihng is great.
After we got the assemblies out of the car it took about 2 hours for the first side and about 30 minutes for the other - having made all our mistakes on the the first! Everything is in and buttoned up and working great!
Thanks CF members for your input. Can't complain about fix that takes $11 worth of parts and gives you a Sunday afternoon of entertainment with your son!
Bob
After we got the assemblies out of the car it took about 2 hours for the first side and about 30 minutes for the other - having made all our mistakes on the the first! Everything is in and buttoned up and working great!
Thanks CF members for your input. Can't complain about fix that takes $11 worth of parts and gives you a Sunday afternoon of entertainment with your son!
Bob